I've been considering membership with the CoS since long before I joined LttD. I've heard the message from several sources that the CoS has a policy not to put non-members in touch with members. I have seen interviews with Magus Gilmore where he was asked who are some high-profile celebrities that have affiliation with the CoS and he explained the policy never to reveal that sort of information to the public. Yet I still am apprehensive about putting my name and information on a document attached to a Satanic organization. I live in Idaho, where persecuting non-christians is quite fashionable. Even the former Governor Dirk Kempthorne spoke out very vocally against non-christians on several occasions during his term. (He has now moved on to be part of Bush's cabinet). I do very much want to be a member, but I am worried about that info somehow getting out of the CoS' hands and into public information. Can anyone give me some better assurance?

(P.S. Thank you, Evil Eve, for taking the time to answer my PM about this subject.)

Could you provide some examples of the persecution of non-xtians in Idaho? I am curious to see where Constitutional rights have been denied or suspended, and what steps the alleged victims have taken to rectify this situation.

As to reassurances to privacy within the CoS, what more can be said that has not already been stated?

_________________________
"Consensus is the absence of leadership." Margaret Thatcher

"I'm fascinated with how primitive the human mind still is. It can be misdirected so easily." John Gaughan

"Success is uncommon. Therefore, not to be enjoyed by the common man." Cal Stoll

I cannot think of one instance that the CoS has leaked membership information.

_________________________Live and Let Die."If I have to choose between defending the wolf or the dog, I choose the wolf, especially when he is bleeding." -- Jaques Verges"I may have my faults, but being wrong ain't one of them." -- Jimmy Hoffa"As for wars, well, there's only been 268 years out of the last 3421 in which there were no wars. So war, too, is in the normal course of events." -- Will Durant."Satanism is the worship of life, not a hypocritical, whitewashed vision of life, but life as it really is." -- Anton Szandor LaVey“A membership ticket in this party does not confer genius on the holder.” -- Benito MussoliniMY BOOK: ESSAYS IN SATANISM | MY BLOG: COSMODROMIUM | Deep Satanism Blog

Quote:Could you provide some examples of the persecution of non-xtians in Idaho? I am curious to see where Constitutional rights have been denied or suspended, and what steps the alleged victims have taken to rectify this situation.

I don't know if I can provide examples of people being dragged from their homes and beaten by government agents, but I can remember a couple of instances that set the tone against non-xtians in my area. The link I am about to provide is in reference to the cross that shines down over the valley I wrote about in my introduction. I can't say that the cross has ruined my life or makes me cry into my breakfast cereal every morning, but that doesn't mean it makes me happy to see the special treatment of xtian interest groups over non-xtians.

There was a more recent incident that occurred on National Prayer Day a year or so ago. The Idaho Atheists reserved the steps of the capitol building in downtown Boise to voice their message of the choice to NOT pray and so forth. Usually a xtian group reserved those steps every year and a court battle erupted over who got to stand there that day and express their message. As you can see in the link below, a great deal of government officials turned out on the side of the xtians.

Now once again, these are not instances where people were tried as witches and burned, but it certainly lends to make xtians feel like they are in the right. What is more common is for people to do littler things that are harder to prove, like fire a subordinate once a manager discovers that employee's lack of faith. The sentiment is certainly out there, bolstered by a government that is outwardly against non-xtians. I think the danger is more likely to come from random individuals who learn about the religious views or sexual preference of another person and decide to express their faith with violence. (Speaking of sexual preference, in this last election in November we voted on whether or not to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Needless to say, it passed.)

In short, I guess I can conclude that my religious status will probably remain a secret as long as *I* personally do not reveal it to anyone. I hope no one blames me for being a little worried though. Thanks for your time and thoughts.